<>Jerome sent a group email this week. It ended like this: Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

Just thought I'd mention it.

Another superb piece of writing from the genius we call Big Dan

Do you remember that time us boys went to the Hare for New Years eve dressed as the Spice Girls?

Jerome was Posh Spice. He spent over an hour and a half on his make up, and shaved his armpits and legs. We were a bit scared by the attention to detail, but more so because he looked like a freshly shaved gibbon who had just clumsily eaten 4 red crayons.

When Jerome met Jez

When Jerome met Jez, I wondered if they woudl have anything to say. I didn't think that they would have anything in common.

They have something fundamental in common. As Jez gleefully described watching a TV programme about bikini waxing, Jerome grinned in happy appreciation.

We all know that Jerome has special powers. But we tend to take them for granted. He knows what we are thinking, what is best for us, what we want, and how to get to wherever we happen to want to go by the quickest route. But when these special powers are demonstrated to other people, they are surprised.

A couple of weeks ago, Jerome met some of our friends from pubmeet night. He arrived, talked politely for a bit and happend to mention that he's working as a recruitment consultant, recruiting drivers.

"I can tell what kind of driver a person will be just from looking at them," he said, quite modestly for him. The truth - I can own your soul after a week's acquaintance if I want - would have sounded arrogant.

"You'd get too caught up in the detail," he said to Pete.

Pete's jaw dropped in a how-did-you-know-you're-right kind of way.

"You'd be good, but too relaxed. So relaxed that you'd sometimes be dangerous," he said to Andy.

Andy grinned in a sheepish yes-you've-got-me-there kind of way.

We're thinking about buying Jerome a spangly tent and a crystal ball.

Jerome 4 Charlotte

Jerome thinks Charlotte Church is a very fine lady.

This is her official web site

If she gets tired of Gavin, I'm sure Jerome would oblige.